In case there was still any doubt that fossil fuels are on the decline, new analysis from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) confirms it: Wind and solar energy jobs now outnumber coal and gas jobs in 30 states.

In addition to providing local jobs across the country, In Demand: Clean Energy, Sustainability and the New American Workforce finds that the clean energy and sustainability economy also pays higher than average wages and offers individuals numerous career and educational pathways.

“The clean energy workforce has skyrocketed, launching us into the new clean energy economy while supporting American workers,” said Ellen Shenette, manager of EDF Climate Corps, a summer fellowship program that accelerates clean energy initiatives and spearheaded the new report. “The growth in clean energy sectors can be credited to reductions in costs, increased demand for clean energy and efficiency technologies, as well as policies and investments.”

The final decision appeared to draw upon an ITC recommendationfrom Commissioners David Johanson, a Republican appointed by former President Barack Obama and Irving Williamson, a Democrat appointed by former President George W. Bush. Both commissioners recommended a 30% tariff that would decline in 5% increments over the four-year span.

The controversy started in April when two U.S.-based solar manufacturers petitioned for import relief using a rare Section 201 global safeguard measure. Suniva, a Georgia-based manufacturer, is under the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. SolarWorld joined in May after its German parent company filed for insolvency. Both parties blamed low-price imports, mostly from Chinese companies based in other countries, for their predicament.

The commercial solar industry entered the holiday season with an unexpected policy gift from Washington.

The new tax plan passed by Congress introduced two provisions favorable for commercial solar installations: a reduction in the corporate tax rate and the expansion of depreciation allowances.

Unsurprisingly, there are very strong and divergent opinions on whether the tax bill will benefit society at large. This article does not attempt to address these important societal questions, but rather will solely analyze how the return on investment and net present value for commercial solar installations will change under the new tax code.

In case there was still any doubt that fossil fuels are on the decline, new analysis from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) confirms it: Wind and solar energy jobs now outnumber coal and gas jobs in 30 states.

In addition to providing local jobs across the country, In Demand: Clean Energy, Sustainability and the New American Workforce finds that the clean energy and sustainability economy also pays higher than average wages and offers individuals numerous career and educational pathways.

“The clean energy workforce has skyrocketed, launching us into the new clean energy economy while supporting American workers,” said Ellen Shenette, manager of EDF Climate Corps, a summer fellowship program that accelerates clean energy initiatives and spearheaded the new report. “The growth in clean energy sectors can be credited to reductions in costs, increased demand for clean energy and efficiency technologies, as well as policies and investments.”

News came out of France last week that, although net 2017 profit rose, EDF saw its revenue slide from $88.3 billion to $86.7 billion, a decline that occurred largely in its traditional energy sectors such as nuclear. This was combined with an announcement that the French energy giant would invest more than $31 billion in solar in the coming years.

Other large energy companies appear to finally be reading the writing on the wall: that the traditional electricity generation strategy of burning fuels (or creating fission) and boiling water is giving way to the sustainable and cost-effective harvesting of photons and Aeolian currents. In other words: Renewables (and storage) are where the future growth opportunities lie.

Utility Dive's fifth annual State of the Electric Utility survey shows a sector committed to the clean energy transition, but wary of policies coming out of Washington.

A new survey of North American utility executives shows them wary of President Donald Trump's energy policies, but unmoved in their commitment to a cleaner energy future.

Utility Dive's 2018 State of the Electric Utility Survey, out today, reveals a sector still overwhelmingly committed to moving to a lower-carbon, more distributed electricity system. But it also shows that professionals are increasingly concerned with policy and market uncertainty following the first year of the Trump administration.

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Stephen Lacey: There are 60,000 large-scale wind turbines in America. That means over a million and half households are located five miles from a turbine, and they're actually inching closer to homes on average. So how do those machines impact our property values, our soundscapes and our quality of life? The Lawrence Berkeley lab has a bunch of research on the impact of wind turbines on our lives and we're going to dive into it.

Solar power is becoming an increasingly important part of the planet's energy mix, as evidenced by the recent publication of the Solar Foundation's 2017 National Solar Jobs Census.

Last year, just over 250,000 Americans were working in solar. While this figure is impressive, it represents a 3.8 percent drop since 2016.

Looking at the bigger picture, however, there are reasons to be optimistic. Over the past seven years, the solar workforce has grown by 168 percent, rising from around 93,000 roles in 2010 to 250,271 in 2017.

The Solar Foundation's census is based on "a rigorous survey of solar establishments conducted between October and November 2017." A "solar employee" is defined as a person who spends "at least" half their time on work related to solar energy.

Here, Sustainable Energy takes a look at the 10 states leading the way in solar jobs.

Old adversaries from the rooftop solar fights are finding common ground on transportation electrification.

In 2017, electric vehicles began to present state policymakers with regulatory turmoil previously reserved for rooftop solar.

The estimated 765,000 U.S. electric vehicles (EVs) remain a very small percentage of the 250 million-plus vehicles in operation. And the almost 200,000 new EVs sold last year in the U.S. represent a tiny fraction of the 17 million-plus new cars that rolled off U.S. lots last year.

But almost every major auto manufacturer has public plans for an EV model by 2020, according to PlugInCars. And a 2016 Bloomberg New Energy Finance report showed EVs reaching cost parity with conventional vehicles between 2022 and 2026.

Rocky Mountain Institute models how a stack of distributed energy resources can solve the duck curve and curtailment challenges—without using natural gas.

‘Demand flexibility' is Rocky Mountain Institute’s term for the capability of water heaters, air conditioners, plug-in electric vehicles, and other loads to provide a massive set of benefits to the grid -- if they’re smart enough to handle it.

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments next month to determine if SolarCity’s legal battle against Salt River Project’s demand charges can advance.

In 2015, SolarCity, now Tesla, filed an antitrust lawsuit against Salt River Project, claiming the Arizona utility’s $50-per-month demand charges for solar net-metered customers constituted an unlawful use of its monopoly powers to stifle competition.

The case garnered national attention for its unusual approach to fighting the rise of demand charges, fixed charges and other costs for solar-equipped customers via antitrust law, and its potential implications for ratemaking policy across the country. But before that case can go forward, the U.S. Supreme Court has to decide a separate legal issue -- whether SRP is or isn’t immune from antitrust law as a publicly owned utility.

The solar company is already cutting costs—and headcount—as it seeks a tariff exclusion.

Solar company SunPower is bracing itself for the impact of the Trump administration’s recently issued tariffs on imported solar cells and modules.

The company -- based in Richmond, Calif. and majority-owned by French oil giant Total -- could be hit harder than most in the U.S. solar sector due to its international manufacturing base in the Philippines and Mexico, a well as its high-efficiency solar panels with advanced technology that takes on a price premium.

The sixth-month process for competitive proposals began Tuesday on the $130 million Hartburg-Sabine Junction high-voltage transmission project in east Texas, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) confirmed.

Earlier this month, the MISO board of directors approved the 500-kV Hartburg-Sabine Junction as a market efficiency project and eligible for the system’s competitive selection process. MISO issued the RFP Tuesday and qualified developers have until July 20 to make bids.

The system operator has to announce a selected developer by the end of 2018. The Hartburg-Sabine is expected to be in service by 2023, according to reports.